Financial planners not crunched by financial crisis

If youíre looking for a crunch-immune sector of the hiring market, financial planning may be it.

Count Financial has slapped a freeze on head-office recruitment, yet the dealer group is still hunting for financial planning talent, according to chief executive Marianne Perkovic.

Demand is focused on people who can bring clients with them. ìThey need to have experience of dealing with clients face-to-face,î Perkovic says.

Melbourne-based executive recruiter Vicki-Anne Craigen, from Beilby, tells eFinancialCareers that successful candidates need a very strong sales bent: ìIt really is those who are strong business generators who will be highly sought after in the new year.î

Thatís not to say that a financial planning job will spring into your lap. Craigen says firms will only be hiring in the new year because theyíre not hiring anyone at all right now. And Perkovic says most planners are spending time reassuring their clients, rather than hiring new staff.

Kasturi Pathak, a recruitment consultant in the financial planning and wealth management division at Reed Banking & Finance, says there are more financial planning candidates than jobs.

But he says financial planning careers have one thing going for them: ìEven in tough times people still need advice.î